


Birthday Surprise

by WarlockWriter



Series: Conspiracy Verse [6]
Category: The Agency (TV 2001), The Evil Gene (2015)
Genre: Because he's a idiot sometimes, Fluff, M/M, No Porn, Not much more than fluff, Sorry Not Sorry, Which Lex does to himself, a tiny bit of angst, but cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-16 02:26:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19308757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarlockWriter/pseuds/WarlockWriter
Summary: It's Lex's birthday. But Griff seems unaware of the date. Or is he?





	Birthday Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> A while ago, someone asked me what I thought Lex's birthday was. I picked June 21st because he seemed like a Cancer with a bit of Gemini in him. I also decided that Griff was a Taurus and his birthday is May 7. Oh shock! Taurus and Cancer are compatible, assuming you believe in that sort of thing.
> 
> So here's a fluffy fic to celebrate Lex's totally made up birthday. He's 33 today!

Lex had never cared much for birthdays. He was an only child, and his parents had died when he was twelve. Without family to celebrate with, he’d mostly never bothered, although he had turned 18 just in time to vote against George W. Bush and be disgusted to learn that being old enough to vote didn’t necessarily mean the person you voted for would win. He’d also gotten completely smashed on his 21st birthday and decided that a) being buzzed was fun but b) being blackout drunk was not. (If only he’d remembered that during the unfortunate incident with Olivia.)

However, now he had someone to celebrate with. He and Griff had been together for almost a year, and he was certain he’d mentioned the date at some point. Hadn’t he? They had done something small for Griff’s birthday the previous month, and he’d been sure his own upcoming date had come up. Didn’t he remember Griff taking out his cell phone and noting it somewhere?

However, while there had been a _very nice_ “Good morning” kiss this morning, it hadn’t been accompanied by a “Happy Birthday.” Griff had made pancakes, which was what he normally made on Fridays, so, again, it was nice but nothing special.

Maybe he was planning a surprise? Which was probably okay. Griff knew what he liked. Oh, shit! Had he told Griff that he positively despised Happy Birthday crap at restaurants? He racked his memory for several minutes—while still working on a money laundering trace; he’d done so many he could run them in his sleep—but he couldn’t remember ever mentioning it. Ah well. If Griff took him out and there was singing, he’d smile and pretend he loved it.

Maybe Griff was planning to take him out to lunch? But no. Lunch time came and went with nothing more exciting than a quick trip to the cafeteria. They barely even had time to talk because Griff left with a hasty, “Jackson needs me all afternoon. Sorry.”

At least Griff hadn’t raced off without a quick kiss.

Lex worked all afternoon on _yet another_ money trace followed by several fake IDs. Terri rushed in late in the afternoon with a hug and to drop a small package on his desk. “Happy Birthday, Lex,” she’d said before racing off to catch a flight with Stiles. They were on their way to Bangladesh for a mission. Lex had been happy to skip that one.

He’d opened the package, though. Oh, nice! She’d pre-ordered the new _Fire Emblem_ game for him. He made a mental note to cancel his own pre-order. But it was a good thought on her part.

Joshua had emerged from his office mid-afternoon. He made a point of scanning the entire room. “No Griff?”

Lex shook his head. “Uh, no. He’s with Jackson.”

“And isn’t it a special day?”

“Yeah. I guess. Wasn’t making big deal out of it.”

“Oh,” Joshua said, starting to turn around. “Then I guess I should save this present for someone else’s birthday?”

Lex swiveled his chair to look at his boss. “Well, I suppose I could accept it. I mean, if you insist,” he said with a wink. At least _some_ people had remembered the day.

Joshua winked back and handed him a brightly wrapped package. “Happy Birthday, Lex.”

“Thank you, Joshua.”

“Well, open it!”

Lex grinned at him, tore into the paper and took out… “Oh, cool! Thank you, Joshua!” He was holding the _Good Omens_ TV Companion book. He and Griff had finally found the time to binge the show the last weekend, and they had both loved it. Griff had never read the book, but he was halfway through it now.

“After all that chatter about the show on Monday morning, it did seem like something you might enjoy.”

Was it cool to hug his boss? He decided you could get away with a lot on your birthday, so he got up to hug him. The older man returned it with a gentle squeeze followed by “Back to work, you.”

Lex sat back down, smiling, knowing he’d pleased Joshua with the gesture.

The rest of the day passed with agonizing slowness. Griff never came back to his desk. When Lex concentrated on his sense of his partner, all he got back was _focus,_ which made sense if he was working with Jackson. He hoped he wouldn’t end up needing to stay late. It wasn’t like Lex could leave without him, a fact that was rarely a problem, but he didn’t feel like working late on his birthday.

Finally, right on the dot of 5 o’clock, Griff hurried into the room. “Sorry, Lex. Jackson kept me busy all day. You ready to go?”

“Yeah, sure.” He shut down his computer. Joshua winked at him and gave him a thumbs up—in reference to what he had no idea—but it was nice of him. He and Griff picked up their helmets and headed for the entrance.

As Lex unlocked his bike, he asked, “Anyplace? Or just home?”

“Just home,” Griff said as he fiddled with his helmet strap.

Lex suppressed his disappointment, hoping that Griff wouldn’t sense his emotion. It was his own damn fault for not making a bigger deal of it. At least it was Friday, and Griff usually cooked something nice for dinner to start the weekend. Maybe after dinner, they could walk to their favorite neighborhood bar for a couple of beers. He could quietly slip a mention of his birthday into conversation.

Traffic wasn’t too bad since school had been out for more than a week now. Lex always enjoyed the feeling of Griff’s arms around his waist and his strong legs pressed against his thighs. He focused on that instead of his disappointment at going straight home.

Griff was silent during the drive, which was odd. Lex was usually terrible at hiding his emotions from his partner, so he must have picked up something? Jackson must have really run him ragged all day for him to not notice and ask what was wrong. After they got back from the bar, he’d give Griff a good backrub. Griff was better at them, but Lex was learning.

Once they got home, Griff led the way into the apartment, opening the door and ushering Lex in.

Lex took a step inside and stopped. “What? Griff?”

The lights were turned low. There was a…dining room table? They hadn’t had one of those when they left for work. (They always ate in the kitchen). And the table was set with candle and food. Amazing smelling food.

Lex turned to his partner, who was giving him a fond, shy smile. “I’m sorry about all day. I know you were disappointed, but I hoped the surprise would make it up to you.”

Lex looked from his partner to the table. “But how?”

Griff scuffed his shoe on the carpet. “Um. I wasn’t really with Jackson. I was on the phone all afternoon, directing Terri and Stiles on everything. I’d had the table delivered and they put it together. I understand I owe Stiles for a jammed finger. I had the food delivered, and they set it all up.”

“So, they aren’t leaving for Bangladesh?”

Griff smiled at him. “Nope. They left about fifteen minutes ago and are on their way to Stiles’ favorite Irish Pub. Dinner and drinks are on me as a thank you.” He looked down at the floor again. “I needed their help since, you know, I couldn’t leave the building to do it myself.

Lex was stunned. He’d had no idea. Suddenly he felt awful for having been in a funk all day. Especially since Griff’s surprise had to have reminded him…again…about being a genetic freak.

Griff pulled him into a hug. “No, babe. Don’t feel bad. I almost told you at lunch, but Joshua told me it’d be okay. It is okay, isn’t it?” Griff was practically whispering in his hair, voice low and apprehensive.

So, Joshua had been in on it too? Of course, he had. Nothing happened in their department without him being a part of it. He pulled back just far enough to give Griff a kiss, putting as much into it as he could. “Yeah, it’s okay. More than okay. I should have known you wouldn’t forget me.”

“Never, Lex. I love you.”

Lex smiled. “Love you too. So, food?”

Griff escorted him to the table, pulling out his chair and seating him. Lex was _almost_ embarrassed but enjoyed it. There were several covered dishes in the middle of the table. “Go ahead and serve yourself while I get the wine.”

Lex raised an eyebrow at that. They never had wine at home, mostly because Griff never drank. But he immediately started peeking under the covers. Sushi and teriyaki chicken with lots of dipping sauces. Lex approved. He put aside a cover, picked up a set of chopsticks and dipped a tuna roll in the soy sauce.

“Joshua gave me some advice,” Griff confessed as he came back with a bottle and…two small ceramic glasses?

Griff must have caught his expression because he smiled and said, “Yeah. I’ll have one. Special occasion and all.”

Lex looked curiously at the bottle. “It’s _sake_ , and Joshua said these were the right glasses for it.” He shrugged. “Insisted that drinking _sake_ out of wine glasses would send us straight to hell.” He winked. “Since I had other plans for this evening, I thought I’d follow his suggestion.”

Lex winked back at him. He was pretty sure he was going to love those “plans.”

Griff poured _sake_ for both of them. It wasn’t Lex’s first time drinking it, but Griff said it was his. Lex had a couple of glasses, but Griff stuck to the one.

They ate and chatted, and Lex thought it wasn’t what he’d expected but that it was pretty darned good. Griff kept leaning over and sneaking kisses, which made it even better.

There was chocolate cake, and Griff fed it to him, leading to some spilled cake but lots more kisses.

Finally, they were stuffed, and Griff excused himself for a minute, coming back with a small, flat parcel. “Happy birthday, Lex,” he said.

Lex opened it, not sure what to expect. The dinner had been fantastic and now a present. When he pulled back the paper, he gasped. “Griff! Really?”

In his hands, he held _Invincible_ _Iron Man #1._ In what looked like excellent condition.

“It’s near mint, not mint,” Griff said. “And I know it’s not the first time he appears in. I…uh…didn’t have enough to afford that one.”

Lex carefully put the comic down on the table, as far from the remains of their dinner as he could, and got up to give Griff a huge hug, followed by another kiss. “It’s perfect,” he said when they broke apart. “I love it.”

“You do?”

“I do. It’s one of the best presents anyone has ever given me. Dinner and the comic, and I didn’t see any of it coming.”

Griff’s smile could have lit up the apartment. “I’m so glad. I wanted to make it special for you.”

Lex gave him a shy smile. “There is one more thing I’d like.”

Griff’s smile didn’t dim at all. He took Lex’s hand and led him to the bedroom. “I think I can manage that.”

Lex followed him, thinking maybe birthdays were okay if you had the right person to celebrate them with.


End file.
